How to hang a bird feeder (outside a window)

If you've ever wanted to get a closer look at birds feeding in your garden, its possible to entice them to the window using a hanging bird feeder.

How you hang a bird feeder to the outside of a window relies heavily on a light, clear plastic bracket or hook with suction cups. Well they might be used for other things, its possible to use such items to hang all types of bird feeders instead, although this doesn't guarantee success.

Bird feeders can get quite heavy so you need a window bracket with a number of suction cups to create a backup if one fails.

And that's precisely what you'll get with a window bracket; they're also lightweight to further reduce weight on a single cup.

We must emphasis that the heavier the feeder, the suction cups are likely to fail on you, so keep the seed or peanut feeders to a minimum, say half or a third full at all times.

As birds feed off the window feeders they will demand space, do these far reaching window brackets should provide the space they need.

It would also prevent the feeders from ever touch or continuously pressing onto the window, thus preventing scrapes.

You're free to locate the bracket anywhere on the window, though site it high up as it would go as to keep it clear from any predators on the ground or window sill.

The higher it is will also make for better viewing for you on the other side of the glass.

It can be incredibly enjoyable attracting birds to the garden using all types of basic feeders to the more complex gizmos, this one being the latter.

So well its not a guarantee, its takes time and patience to see if your efforts are worth it.

Fix using suction cups

To hang a bird feeder to a glass window you can use the simple solution of suction cups, so when seeking out brackets or hooks, they must have suction cups.

Large or small, make it so there are 2 or more suction cups that are fixed to the bracket or hook, with less chance of the said hook dropping off the window if nudged.

Without the use of cups your only option would be to hang the feeders to a metal bracket on the window frame, thus creating ever lasting damage.

You also have to use screws and wall plugs, and make use of a cordless drill.

So make it a hanging bracket or hook with suction cups only, as it only needs one lick before it sticks to the window with a strong hold.

Its also possible to fix suction cups to window frames made from PVC, that also includes frames made from wood, providing its finished with a smooth surface.

Static or adjustable

Options of fixing a hanging bird feeder to a window with use of a bracket or hook of some sort would normally do, but there are options...

Basic, static hook with one position, or an adjustable bracket with a left/right movement, or there may be ones with an extendable pole.

Whichever one you pick should correspond to the type of feeder you want to use.

If using a short, stumpy seed or peanut feeder (the types that hand to bird feeding station poles), then a bracket width of no more than 10 to 12 cm will do it.

However, if you want to hang something more substantial, such as a seed lantern that has a large width, then an adjustable pole that pulls out to 20cm will do it.

And bare in mind, the further the bracket extends, more pressure will be put on the cups.

Which takes us to considering total weight...

Don't make it heavy

Its likely you'll be hanging a bird feeder for use with seeds, peanuts or fat balls right.

And well you will be safe filling up the feeder in question all the way to the top, its vital you take overall weight into consideration, as the suction cups can only take so much.

Read the product description carefully by focusing on the maximum weight, then find out the weight your feeder will hold and compare.

Regardless of how much seeds or peanuts your feeder can hold, only fill it up to the recommendation, which should be measured in grams.

If feeders become to heavy, overtime it will force the cups to pull away, thus releasing trapped air before the feeder comes tumbling down.

To play it safe and to save yourself a lot of time, simply fill the feeders a third of the way up, before topping it back up before it runs out.

Where to hang on window

Where you hang a bird feeder on the window is probably not that important, but there are things to consider.

Ideally you'd want to site the bird feeder bracket as high up the window as it would go, so that way we have it far off the ground, thus protecting the birds that feed.

And well its as high up as it would go, its make for better viewing for people watching on the inside of the window.

But does it matter which window on your house it hangs from, in some way it does.

Busy homes with pets and kids, and generally with people constantly walking about indoors will keep the wild birds away.

If the inside of the window does indeed stay nice and quiet, that's certainly a good start.

Living room, dining room or kitchen would be best, but only you would know that, so use your common sense.

If one site doesn't work, in due course it would be time to remove from window by setting up on another - just as long as its an area where birds frequent often.

Clear bracket for window

One of the best ways to hang a bird feeder outside window is by the use of a clever clear plastic, light bracket with suction cups.

Simple clear durable plastic rounded pole that has a short length where the suction cups act as the backing, before the bracket moves around into the standard hook shape.

On the end of this hook is still a clear plastic hook where you simply hoop on the feeder.

This will largely depend on the type of hoop used, but for the most part most seed, peanut or fat ball feeders will hook on with no problems.

No hard or fast rules here, you can position the bracket upright or what would appear upside down, the choice is yours.

Not limited to glass windows, as suction cups would stick to any smooth surface, so a PVC or varnished window frame would also do.

If wild birds don't come to the window, move the bracket to either side of the window frame as they might be happier to feed with no window as a backing.

Suction hooks

Simple but effect larger than normal suction cups available in pairs or more, though one would be significant for your needs here.

However, the use of a suction cup doesn't offer width; by that we mean they are positioned close up to the window - say 1 to 2 cm - so hanging feeders is difficult.

You'll be able to overcome that obstacle if you chose to use fat balls in there original netting, as they can be hooked up and allowed to push out.

Not so with plastic seed feeders or heavy metal peanut feeders, so the same with these types of bird feeders will force a lot of pressure onto the glass window.

Result, scrapes and scratches forming, more so as birds perches and move it around.

So well it might be suitable for fat balls in soft netting, it probably won't be for everyone.

As they're usually used to hang up shower curtains or hand towels, would we recommend you stay clear of the basic suction hooks.

Adjustable hooks

Well we can say for absolute certainty, most basic long or short length bird feeders will fit onto a window hook, its always important to consider overall feeder width.

To wide and the feeder will come into contact with the window, thus creating a leaning effect or worse, forcing the feeder off the hook.

Its possible you can still use a wider (but still light) feeder by using an adjustable hook that has a far reaching arm.

Its adjustable because your often given the chance to fix the hook at multiple stops, with the widest one giving you the option to hang the widest feeders.

Well our research only brings back adjustable hooks with an up/down, left/right movement - depending how you position it on window - we can't find extendable hooks at this time.

That could be a blessing as it would offer you more width than you need, as we mentioned previously this will put immense pressure on the suction cups, forcing it to become unstuck.

If in doubt, use window feeder

Sure, you might be seeking out a solution to hang your current bird feeders to the window, but have you ever considered using a window bird feeder.

Well the window feeder is used to attract birds, often it would have overhanging perches, cracks or crannies; of which could be used to hang feeders.

We can say the window feeder we have seen mostly don't have a suitable hooks to hang such bird feeders, but there is a solution.

Refer back to where we talk about suction cups (the ones used for bathrooms), it would only take one or two to fix to the outside of the window feeder to create additional hooks.

You could just start with suction cups but like we said, they're positioned to close to the window as are, so...

With use of a far reaching out window bird feeder acting as the extension required, it offers plenty of room for the feeders to freely hang without hitting or touching the window.

Try suction cup bird feeders

If all else fails, did you know you can buy the usual bird feeders from all major suppliers, only they're made with up to two suction cups attached permanently to the side or fixed to the flat backing.

So well you're looking to hang a bird feeder to the outside of a window, you could just use a seed or peanut feeder to just press onto the window instead.

Not a lot of downsides to this solution we must say, but we would personally prefer the hanging option for two reasons.

First, a free hanging bird feeder allows for the birds to feed from all directions, thus giving unrestrictive viewing as they feed.

Second, the use of hanging bird feeder only needs to be unhook to refill them with food, with the occasional cleaning out.

With a feeder that sticks to a window the whole thing has to be removed to be refilled or cleaned. That's only a small issue we have, but like we said its a simple solution.

Summary

It is possible to hang a bird feeder to the outside of a window with various options, well it will largely rely on suction cups only.

Hanging a bird feeder outside your window could be sited onto the glass itself, or use the PVC or varnished window frame - where suction cups will suck to with ease.

We've recommended the use of a clear plastic bracket with a static or adjustable option, with weight taking into consideration.

Fill the bird feeders that hang to the window bracket only a third or half way, this will keep the weight down well preventing to much pressure on the cups.

Where you site the feeder on the window doesn't matter, just as long its in an area where birds frequent in your garden already, or else they may never see it.

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